Post by hiredfox July 31, 2011 (31 of 130)
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tailspn said:
I loaded five different solo piano selections into a Sonoma DAW to be able to switch instantly between them. These included the Sonata No. 23 played by Takacs, the same from Tchetuev and Kodama, the Tchaikovsky Dumka Op.74 on Ondine, and the Rachmaninov Moments Musicaux Op.16 on Channel. All are similarly sonically presented, IE: none appear to be a minimal five microphone ITU placement. The piano in all instances occupies the full width of the front three speakers. That said, the Takacs, for me, is a superior MCH sounding recording. It has the more impact, is more like a real piano, is drier, and is more immediate sounding. It also has the closest distance perspective of the instrument of all the recordings.
The recording I liked second best was the Ondine. While it sounds somewhat hooded with instantaneous comparison, it has a better feeling of space around the instrument than the Takacs. That could be the venue, or the recording technique. For my interests, this Takacs Beethoven sets a new standard for capturing the experience of hearing a concert grand piano via a recording.
Tom
Tom
Which was your artistic preference?
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tailspn said:
Tom
Tom - knowing, as I do, the sound of your system and your love of classical music, I will just have to get this recording. In fact, it is on its way to me.
Thanks for your comments.
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Fitzcaraldo215 said:
Tom - knowing, as I do, the sound of your system and your love of classical music, I will just have to get this recording. In fact, it is on its way to me.
Thanks for your comments.
Received my boxed set today. Beautiful packaging and ravishingly beautiful sound (DSD all the way).
You will NOT be disappointed.
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Post by tailspn August 1, 2011 (34 of 130)
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Blanton Alspaugh, the producer for the Beethoven Sonata with Peter Takacs series, has provided background notes on the production of this SACD. I (Tom) stand corrected on my comment above about a five channel MCH microphone pickup:
Here's a brief description of how Peter's (Takacs) Beethoven sonata project originated,and the production approach we employed. It might be of interest to folks who have bought the set.
When Peter contacted us early in 2001 with his plan to record the complete sonata cycle, we felt that in addition to Peter's own musicianship the pivotal elements of the project were the instrument, the acoustic, and the delivery format. By then we were already involved in making some of the earliest SACD recordings; we were working with Philips in developing SACD projects in North America and Peter's Beethoven cycle was exactly the sort of big endeavor everyone was looking for.
As we worked through the options for a recording location and an appropriate instrument we began to lean toward something a little off the beaten path. Not very long before we heard from Peter we had made a Copland recording for Naxos with the Nashville Chamber Orchestra. The orchestra and Naxos had selected the concert hall at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN, about 50 miles northwest of Nashville. We liked the acoustic a lot, and as we proceeded with the sessions we noted that the school owned an especially nice Bosendorfer piano (Bosendorfer Imperial Grand Piano Model 290-9'6" Opus 44786). So as we worked through the options for Peter's project we suggested that Peter visit Clarksville and try out the instrument; when he reported back how much he liked it we started working out plans with the music department to schedule the first round of recording sessions. I should say that throughout the process of making Peter's recordings, and a number of other projects as well, that the music department and the administration at Austin Peay have been eager collaborators and extremely hospitable — and they have been amazingly tolerant of the sort of demands a recording project entails, such as turning off the HVAC (in August!) and letting us take over classroom space for our control room, not to mention keeping the concert hall "just so" while we’re in residence for a week.
For any piano recording the piano technician is as crucial as the instrument itself, and we were fortunate to have not only Peter's colleague John Cavanaugh from Oberlin but Gerhard Feldmann from New York. Gerhard has worked with Soundmirror on numerous recordings over the years and he not only felt that this was a particularly fine instrument but he kept it in top shape throughout the extremely demanding recording process. In practice this means getting there early and staying late, every day.
The technical aspects of the project reflect the challenges and opportunities presented by recording in DSD and delivering SACDs, but as a system it was all pretty straightforward. The emphasis, once we had the piano positioned on the stage, was on selecting microphones and mic preamps which gave us a recorded presentation to match what we could hear in the hall. We set up separate two-channel and five-channel microphone arrays to optimize the pickup for each playback setup. We also monitored the sessions with a five-channel playback system. It's important to note that the entire project was recorded, edited and mastered in DSD. For what it's worth we found that recording and listening to a solo piano in surround overcame many of the limitations which are inherent in two-channel presentations. And the DSD format demonstrated a welcome combination of smoothness, resolution and headroom.
Even as we were still working on the mastering and authoring of the eleven hybrid SACDs, Peter was working with Marina and Victor Ledin of Encore Consultants, as well as Lance Bowling of Cambria, on developing a concept for the truly impressive packaging for the set. I think even before people hear the playing they will be struck by the excellence of the written and graphic material in this package. And it's really impressive that Cambria is putting this amazing 11-SACD package out at a per-disc price comparable to what was called a "mid-price" CD not so long ago. I think it qualifies as the bargain of the year!
This project began in 2001 and was not completed for release until 2011. It represents an enormous investment of money and energy; Peter received significant support from Oberlin and from generous individuals, but he also put a great deal of his own money into the project. It's extremely gratifying to see it available now for everyone to hear what we've been so excited about since the first sessions ten years ago!
Blanton
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Jed Distler weighs in. From ClassicsToday.com: http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=13468
Performance 8 / Sound 9
Unlike other Beethoven piano sonata cycles on the market, the present release is truly complete in that it includes the rarely performed early C major sonata and F major sonatina without opus numbers, the three "Elector" sonatas Wo47, the Andante favori in F (originally intended as the Op. 53 "Waldstein" sonata's slow movement), and the D major Op. 6 sonata for piano duet. More importantly, the Romanian-born/American-raised pianist Peter Takács, who teaches at Oberlin, has lived with, thought about, and performed this repertoire over the course of his long professional life, and his interpretations abound with intelligent virtuosity and insight.
Takács is not a colorist on the level of Arrau or Kempff, yet his keen attention to voice leading and responsiveness to Beethoven's frequent, sudden dynamic shifts lend textural interest to the performances, as well as reveal the pianist's deep-rooted affinity for the composer's essentially linear style. These qualities especially come home to roost in the three Op. 2 sonatas, which split the difference between Murray Perahia's classical poise and the comparably brasher Pollini and Kovacevich editions.
Flexible lyricism and infectious brio enliven the Op. 7 and Op. 22 sonatas' outer movements, along with the finales to both Op. 14 sonatas and Op. 26. Takács also spins out detached, woodwind-like passages with marvelous character and humor, such as in the Op. 10 No. 2 finale, Op. 28's Andante, and Op. 31 No. 3's Scherzo, while movements based on variation form (Op. 26's opening, the "Appassionata" Andante con moto, the Op. 109 and Op. 111 finales) benefit from assiduously unified tempo relationships. And like Glenn Gould, Takács imbues some of Beethoven's thornier left-hand sequences with remarkable melodic clarity, albeit in a less iconoclastic fashion. Examples of this include the "Les Adieux" sonata's spiraling runs, Op. 27 No. 1's finale, and Op. 110's first movement.
Takács' inspiration particularly takes wing in shorter works. I love the pianist's slightly dry yet spirited energy in Op. 54's moto perpetuo finale, his fluid, almost conversational demeanor in Op. 78's first movement and both Op. 90 movements, plus his disarming, seemingly off-handed way with simpler fare such as the two Op. 49 sonatas and Op. 79.
Oddly enough, I find Takács treading a little too carefully in some of the so-called "name" sonatas: he holds back in the "Moonlight" finale, is too dynamically constricted in the "Waldstein", and gradually slows down as the "Hammerklavier" sonata's all-but-impossible fugue progresses. Furthermore, Takács' rhythmic distensions in the Op. 101 Scherzo dissipate the march rhythm's cumulative momentum. Still, Takács' overall high level of achievement warrants admiration, together with excellent surround-sound engineering that does the pianist's Bösendorfer Imperial Grand full justice.
Cambria's packaging is first class all the way, with all 11 SACDs housed in a sturdy, easy-to-access booklet, a 144-page book featuring Takács' extended, informative essay "The Mind of Beethoven", accompanied by score samples and visual illustrations, plus a fold-out Beethoven timeline organized by biography, music, literature, science, and history. Such production values and artistic integrity are rare in an era where major labels habitually cut corners. Well worth considering.
--Jed Distler
Still enjoying this SACD set, it is not something I couldn't wait to get rid of (that would be Robert Silverman's Mozart on IsoMike). But recently I have reverted back to Kovacevich on EMI rebook for the majority of my solo piano Beethoven listening (Gulda's late 60's Amadeo set is right there with Kovacevich). It is still the finest modern, i.e. digital era, complete Beethoven cycle, IMHO. Would be great to get hi-rez of those nine discs.
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Post by seth August 22, 2011 (36 of 130)
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Eddie Williamson said:
Jed Distler weighs in. From ClassicsToday.com: http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=13468
It [Kovacevich] is still the finest modern, i.e. digital era, complete Beethoven cycle, IMHO. Would be great to get hi-rez of those nine discs.
I think Brautigam is giving Kovacevich a run for his money.
Also, you shouldn't post the Classics Today review. The site offers content for free and gets by on ad revenue. By posting the review here, you're taking away hits from the site, and thus money that allows it to publish reviews. So just post the link.
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Post by zeus August 22, 2011 (37 of 130)
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seth said:
Also, you shouldn't post the Classics Today review. The site offers content for free and gets by on ad revenue. By posting the review here, you're taking away hits from the site, and thus money that allows it to publish reviews. So just post the link.
It's also copyrighted.
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Post by rammiepie August 22, 2011 (38 of 130)
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zeus said:
It's also copyrighted.
I welcomed and appreciated the review and hopefully, the positive review will inform other posters decision to purchase the boxed set......of course, following the link from SA~CDnet, as I did.
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Just to say that I ordered from Amazon USA with a view to doing a review here - but it may take some time. I had to wait several weeks for them to get stock but my copy is now on the way to the UK.
Geohominid
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Post by diw October 27, 2011 (40 of 130)
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There are some really good deals on purchasing this set out there now.
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